Improvement in car-couplings



UNrTnn PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN W. GILLAM AND JOHN W. GILLAM, JR., OF NEWTON, NEW JERSEY.

impaoviamrnr iN CAR-eoliennes.

Specification forming part of Lettere- Patent No. 35,984, dated February18, 1873.

To all whom it may ccncerfn: l

Be it known that we, JOHN W. GILLAM and JOHN W. GILLAM, J r., ot'Newton, in the county of Sussex and State of4 New Jersey, have inventeda new and useful Improvement in Car- Coupling, of which the followingisA a specification: i

. 'lhis invention relates to a new and useful improvement in the form ofcar-couplings; and consists in. the construction and arrangenient ofparts hereinafter described.

In the accompanying drawing, Figure 1 represents alongitudinal sectionoftwo draw-heads coupled together according to our invention. Fig. 2represents a side view, and Fig. 3 represents a front view, of the same.Figs. et and 5 represent detail views of the'connecting-bar, seen fromthe line .r w, Fig. l.

Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts.

m A represents the form of the drawhead. B

' represents the form of the cross-bar, which holds and sustains thedraft pressure ot' the connecting-bar E. U represents the spring, whichholds the cross-barB in position. D represents the space recessed out inthe drawhead back of the rim to admit the cross-bar B. E represents theconnecting-bar in position for coupling to an opposing draw-head. I"represents the lit'ting-bar, by means of. which the cross-bar B israised out of position when it is desired to uncouple the cars. Grepresents the lever, which works the lifting-bar F. II represents anupright plate back of the cross-bar B, and fastened to the lower plateof the draw-head, by means of which the connectingbar E is preventedfrom passing too far back ofthe cross-bar B. I represents the boxing. bymeans of which the whole is held in position.

'Ihe rim or mouth of the draw-head A is made with beveled edge, and withopening large enough to insure the entrance of the `connectinggg-bar E.A square space, D, is formed or recessed out 1n the sldes of thedraw-head back ofthe rim, of sufficient width and depth to admit thecross-bar B. The cross-bar B is firmly held in the recessed space I) bythe spring C, the spring being firmly fastened at the back part of thedraw-head. This spring can be attached to the platform, if desired. Theconnecting-bar E is a flat piece `of metal, with a catch, I', at eachend beveled at the points, and a narrow strip or rib, J, running acrossthe center from catch to catch, corresponding in height with the catch;the object ofthe narrow strip being to prevent the connecting-bar fromengaging with the rim ofthe draw-head after being disengaged from thecross-bar. The cross-bar B is recessed out in the center to enable it toproperly engage with the connecting-bar. An upright piece, H, isfastened to the lower (or upper) plate ot' the draw-head back of thecross-bar, by means of which the catch ofthe connectingbar is preventedfrom passing too far back of the cross-bar. The lifting-bar F isfastened to the platform, one end being attached to the cross-bar, theother end being under and acted upon bythe lever. The lever Gr isattached to the end of the platform, and,

is so arranged that when moved from left to right it forces that end ofthe lifting-bar down and raises the cross-bar end up, thus disengagingthe cross-bar from the connnectingbar. When the lever is thrown back tothe Vleft the spring forces the cross-bar back to position ready toengage with the connectingbar when the cars come together.

We have here given a description of the various parts of the coupler, inso far as they are connected with our invention. Some por tions of thecoupler we entirely disclaim, they being already in use. We disclaim theboxing that holds the draw-head in place; also, the use of a spring togive elastic motion to the drawhead; also, so much ot' the remainingportions of the drawhead as correspond to the forms of draw-headsalready patented or in use.

Having thus described our invention, what we do claim as our invention,and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

A Hat-bottomed coupling-bar, E, having catch-shoulders on upper side ofends with mid-rib J between them, lin combination with a spring-pressedcross-bar, B, having notch in the middle thereof, arranged to operate asandfor thepurpose described.

JOHN W. 'GILLAii/I. JOHN W. GILLAM, J R. Witnesses:

T. B. Mos-HER, O. Srinewicn.

